BREAKING: Ravens can control Jimmy Smith for 2 more seasons

**TL24x7** · 01-03-2014, 11:45 AM

CB Jimmy Smith is also entering the 4th year of his rookie contract, but under the terms of the 2011 CBA, all first round draft picks have an automatic “5th Year Option” included in their contracts. Pursuant to Article 7, Section 7(f) of the CBA, that option, if exercised, allows the team to retain the player for a 5th year at a salary that is based on the methodology used to calculate the Transition Tag for veteran free agents.

More HERE including what may be in store with Torrey Smith

Special thanks to the best capologist in town not named Pat Moriarty -- Brian McFarland.

**bmorecareful** · 01-03-2014, 12:16 PM

Choosing whether or not to extend Torrey Smith prior to next season is a difficult decision. Do the Ravens want to "buy high" on a player coming off his best statistical season? Certainly Smith and his camp will come to the table demanding top-tier or near it money for what the statistics show to be a rising player.

From the teams' perspective though Torrey Smith did nothing to erase concerns that he isn't #1 WR material this season. He disappeared whenever he went against top-tier CBs or when teams sent double/bracket coverage his way. He was the Ravens' 3rd best WR in the latter quarter of the season after Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones, and you can't pay a guy like that #1 money.

If negotiations were to open right now, Smith's baseline is probably Pierre Garcon's contract--a young, emerging #1 type WR when the Skins grabbed him in FA a few years ago, and that's 5 years, 42.5m. I see the Ravens offering no more than Brian Hartline (top-quality #2 WR) money--5 years, 30m. Maybe adjust each of those numbers down slightly since Smith is still under team control. That could make for an acrimonious contract struggle especially with so many other players to lock up this coming offseason.

On the other hand, the Ravens have been burned time and time again over the last few years by betting against their own players. It might be wiser to pay up for Smith now, even coming off a career year, instead of waiting and seeing him post even better numbers in 2014 in a revamped offense.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 01-03-2014, 12:20 PM

I think Torrey is going to aim for Mike Wallace's contract...and he has every right to...they are very similar.

If he aims lower, he's giving the team a hometown discount IMHO.

**JAB1985** · 01-03-2014, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I think Torrey is going to aim for Mike Wallace's contract...and he has every right to...they are very similar.

If he aims lower, he's giving the team a hometown discount IMHO.

If he wants that kind of money... good bye. I think Wallace is highly overrated and proved it this year, imo. He was grossly overpaid and his contract is more like 2/20.5 than the 5/60. So if were talking 12/year, not a chance. If were talking 10/year, still probably unlikely, but at least its more reasonable to ask or starting point. I figure he gets around 8-9m/year, more likely the higher end of that range.

signing Torrey to #1 money may hamstring us just as bad as signing Rices deal. I dont see him as a true #1. Hes a better compliment player and should be valued as such.

**Corey** · 01-03-2014, 12:53 PM

The difference is Rice has already proven himself as a player. I am looking for something on par with Antonio Browns deal. 5 years 48 million. Reasonable enough and Brown is the better player right now.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 01-03-2014, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

If he wants that kind of money... good bye. I think Wallace is highly overrated and proved it this year, imo. He was grossly overpaid and his contract is more like 2/20.5 than the 5/60. So if were talking 12/year, not a chance. If were talking 10/year, still probably unlikely, but at least its more reasonable to ask or starting point. I figure he gets around 8-9m/year, more likely the higher end of that range.

signing Torrey to #1 money may hamstring us just as bad as signing Rices deal. I dont see him as a true #1. Hes a better compliment player and should be valued as such.

I'm just saying, I think he has a right to ask for a Wallace type deal...especially if you think he is better than Wallace.

And he has an agent that will probably push for that...Rosenhaus.

If he doesn't ask for that, he's going to be taking a hometown discount.

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**bmorecareful** · 01-03-2014, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Raveninwoodlawn

I think Torrey is going to aim for Mike Wallace's contract...and he has every right to...they are very similar.

If he aims lower, he's giving the team a hometown discount IMHO.

No way in hell Torrey should ask for Mike Wallace money. Wallace is definitely highly overrated, but he was a far better player when he signed that megadeal with Miami than Torrey is for us right now. That's not just by statistics but by their play on the field. Wallace was dominant for the Steelers, maybe not while he was miscast in Todd Haley's system, but Torrey has never been dominant like that.

I also think you guys are forgetting that Torrey is still under team control next year... you can't make contract demands as if you were about to hit the open market when you're over a calendar year away. When you sign an early extension you're not going to get max market value (which IMO isn't even in that range anyway to begin with.)

Maybe I'm misjudging the situation badly, but I can't see Torrey even getting close to 10m/year. He'd get chased out of the room by all 32 NFL GMs if he came in asking for that.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 01-03-2014, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

No way in hell Torrey should ask for Mike Wallace money. Wallace is definitely highly overrated, but he was a far better player when he signed that megadeal with Miami than Torrey is for us right now. That's not just by statistics but by their play on the field. Wallace was dominant for the Steelers, maybe not while he was miscast in Todd Haley's system, but Torrey has never been dominant like that.

I also think you guys are forgetting that Torrey is still under team control next year... you can't make contract demands as if you were about to hit the open market when you're over a calendar year away. When you sign an early extension you're not going to get max market value (which IMO isn't even in that range anyway to begin with.)

Maybe I'm misjudging the situation badly, but I can't see Torrey even getting close to 10m/year. He'd get chased out of the room by all 32 NFL GMs if he came in asking for that.

I hear you, but Torrey has a special skillset that teams routinely fall over themselves for...elite speed.

He can always say that he'll just wait until UFA...he doesn't have to agree to what we'd see as a fair deal early if he doesn't want to.

It only takes one team...and we've seen our own players leave in UFA getting overpaid on almost an annual basis.

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**arnie_uk** · 01-03-2014, 01:39 PM

Smiht won't be playing for an 8 mil cap hit

**Lee Van Cleef** · 01-03-2014, 01:47 PM

They implanted a remote control system into him?

**JoeCool5** · 01-03-2014, 02:02 PM

Torrey strikes me as the kind of person who might consider giving us a hometown discount. He's a grounded guy, and now has a wife and baby on the way. I can see him wanting to remain here for the long-term, ala Yanda, whose wife is a local nurse. Torrey does not impress me as the "diva wide receiver, pay me the money" type.

**Bhcforlife** · 01-03-2014, 02:05 PM

1) It's good that they control J Smith for another year, but I think they need to get him under a long term contract before he eats 8M of cap space on that final year. It's a nice fallback option they have in case they can't get something done, but they need to sooner rather than later. He's going to cost a lot whether they do it now, next offseason, or the next, so the sooner the better. Not sure I would do it now, but if he continues to play well into next year...don't wait...get it done.

2) IMO, the only way the Ravens are keeping Torrey is if they get him signed before he hits FA/open market, because if he does, some team with a lot of cap space and an idiot GM (and there are many) is going to pay him big money, well above what the Ravens will be willing to pay. It will be similar to what happened with Ellerbe - team with cap space, idiot GM who may even be getting canned in the next few days, signing a good but not great player to a deal well above his actual value.